easy – convenient – secure – functional

Do you own a business in the Pikes Peak Region and want to attract more bike riding customers?

Are you managing a new development in Colorado Springs and want to provide bike parking for your customers, employees, or residents?

More and more Colorado Springs residents would like to get around our city by bicycles. With more people working from home and less people needing to commute to an office to work, people are using bicycles for everyday tasks more often. For a bicycles to be a practical way to get around our city, bike parking at destinations around the city must be secure, functional, easy, and convenient. As a business owner you can help make this possible and we want to help.

Just like a personal motor vehicle is parked most of the time, bicyclists also need parking where they begin and end their trips. Bicyclists may lock their bikes up inappropriately, travel to certain destinations instead of others, or not take trips at all if there isn’t convenient, secure, and/or protected bicycle parking at their destinations.

– 2018 COS Bikes! Bicycle Master plan

COS Bikes! Masterplan – 4.08 Adopt a Bike Parking Ordinance

To create a systematic process for deploying bicycle parking across the city, the City should complete adoption of a bicycle parking ordinance. Such an ordinance would require specific quantities and types of bicycle parking (short term and long-term) to be implemented in association with new construction, renovation, and retrofit projects. This approach to bicycle parking will help provide bicyclists safe, secure parking when and where they need it. A draft bicycle parking ordinance has been created, which creates a strong foundation for the completion of this action.

Below you will find resources for choosing a functional bike rack and where that bike rack should be placed on your property or in the public right of way.

Racks To Avoid

Racks that only hold one wheel or don’t wide range of bikes should be avoided.

The school rack/grid rack should be avoided.

Often referred to as a “wheelbender” these racks also make it very difficult to lock to which is often why they are seen with only two bikes locked on each end as the ends of the school rack where it’s  easier to secure to. While these racks are easy for people to roll their bicycles in and out of, they allow bicycles to fall over, sometimes bending the front wheel.

If only one wheel is locked, it is quite easy to remove a wheel from the bicycle and simply walk away with the rest of the bicycle if the frame is not also locked.

Bike Racks to Consider

Bike racks for public parking are available in many shapes, sizes and finishes; from custom designed art bike racks that complement your space to utilitarian racks that accommodate many bikes at a low cost. But when choosing a bike rack the most important criteria is it’s functionality; ask yourself these questions.

Is it easy to securely lock a bike to the rack?

Is it easy for the bike to remain standing while it’s locked to the rack?

Below are some examples of bike racks that provide practical, secure parking options for a wide range of bike types and sizes. The racks shown are available from Dero

Placement – Installation

If people can’t find your bike rack, they won’t use it. Placing a bike rack within 50 ft of an entrance or as close as the nearest car parking. Racks placed behind buildings or in other out-of-sight locations give thieves more time to work unnoticed.

A bike rack can only park the maximum number of bikes if it is placed in a location away from obstructions. Also, a bike rack shouldn’t obstruct other objects such as street furniture, access doors, or right of way.

A bike rack is only as secure as the surface and way it is mounted. Use an appropriate installation surface and technique to ensure that the bike rack remains secure and attractive over time.

Use the same rack as PikeRide

PikeRide, our local Colorado Springs Bike Share Operator specifies the a specific bike rack (more info at our Bike Parking Guide) at their hubs and throughout their service area. If you are within the PikeRide Service area, and want a bikeshare hub at your location please email PikeRide at Info@PikeRide.org to discuss the detail of having a hub installed. Any bike rider is welcome lock their personal bike at any Bike Share hub and PikeRide bikes can lock to any rack within the service area.

PikeRide is ordering more bike racks within the next 6 months, the more racks ordered the less they cost. If your business wants to install the same rack email PikeRide at Info@PikeRide.org to ask about being included in their next order.

Major Commercial Bike Rack manufacturers

There are many bike rack manufacturers, take a look at the brands to the right to see which brand best fits your bicycle parking needs.

Sourcing Bike Parking Locally

Local Bike shops are able to Source outdoor bike parking racks in many styles and configurations.

Ted’s Bicycles has long been a resource businesses in Colorado Springs could rely on to help source and install bike parking locally. Free delivery & concrete installation (in Pikes Peak Region) for racks with Ted’s Bicycles sign. Other than concrete, installation is the responsibility of the property owner/manager. Click through to our Complete Bike Parking Guide or  contact Ted’s Bicycles for rack options and pricing.

Secure Long Term bike parking

Outdoor public bike parking isn’t the only type of bike parking. A growing rate for people across our region look at bike storage as an amenity being desired whether at their place of business or where they live. A bike storage facility can be one of the most used areas on the property.

Bike Parking Guide

City of Colorado Springs Zoning and Codes

Whether you want to place a bike rack in the public right of way or are in the process of building out an existing property or building an entirely new development you will likely need to work with the city related to bike parking regulations. From revocable permits to zoning codes to parking standards that all for reduced parking minims if adequate bicycle parking is supplied.

Take a look at our complete Bike Parking Guide for more information